The recently concluded 2012 London Games marked the first time Spanish digital terrestrial television carried the international sporting competition in high definition.

For the games, RTVE, which broadcast the high-definition coverage on its TVE-HD channel, awarded SAPEC the tender for its ALTUM contribution/distribution HD/SD solution. The tender was awarded based on the following requirements:

Real-time encoding and decoding of several HDTV and SDTV signals (standard definition) from London to Madrid and Barcelona.

Strong and high-quality HD encoding with high VQ.

Transport return signals between Spain and London.

To transport signals in both directions between Barcelona and Madrid.

Flexibility to choose MPEG-2 compression format or H.264 on the fly, as well as configure different and dynamic parameters.

Equipment with very low delay (latency) due to the real-time/direct production of signals in both Spain and England.

Local and on-site support availability during the event.

RTVE selected the new family of ALTUM professional encoders, which were developed and manufactured in Spain by SAPEC, with the SAPEC family of new-generation video codecs.

The new ALTUM range of products includes a wide range of encoding and decoding equipment that uses the latest technology with advanced compression algorithms, adhering to international standards, that optimize the bandwidth required for transport while maintaining a high-quality signal. ALTUM is specifically designed for demanding professional environments, providing highly reliable and robust operation.

RTVE is among the largest broadcasters in Spain with six DTT channels.

The FAA’s current rules and proposed ban on flight over people, requirement of visual line of sight and restriction on nighttime flying, effectively prohibit broadcasters from using UAS for newsgathering. ~ WMUR-TV General Manager Jeff Bartlett